Margaret of Bourbon (1211–1256)

Seal of Margaret

Margaret of Bourbon (1211 – 12 April 1256) was the wife of Theobald I of Navarre, she became Countess of Champagne and Queen of Navarre. Margaret was the daughter of Archambaud VIII of Bourbon and his first wife, Guigone of Forez.

Marriage

In 1232 she married Theobald I of Navarre and Count of Champagne. Their children were:

• Eleonora (born 1233, date of death unknown (died young))
• Peter (1265)
• Margaret of Navarre, Duchess of Lorraine in 1255 married to Frederick III, Duke of Lorraine (1238–1303)
• Theobald II of Navarre (1238–1270) married in 1255 Isabelle of France
• Beatrix of Navarre (1242–1295), married in 1258 with Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy (1212–1272)
• Henry I of Navarre married Blanche of Artois in 1269

Widowhood

Theobald died in 1253, Margaret acted as regent for her eldest son, Theobald with James I of Aragon until he came of age in 1256.

The kings of Castile had long the flimsy claim to be paramount lords of the Kingdom of Navarre in the Pyrenees, and from 1250 Ferdinand III of Castile and his heir, Alfonso X of Castile, hoped that Eleanor of Castile would marry Theobald II of Navarre. To avoid Castilian control, Margaret in 1252 allied with James I of Aragon instead, and as part of that treaty solemnly promised that Theobald would never marry Eleanor.

Margaret eventually had Theobald married to Isabella, daughter of Louis IX of France and Marguerite of Provence.

Eleanor of Castile later married Edward I of England and was mother to sixteen children.

Margaret died in Brie, 12 April 1256. She is buried in Clairval. ^[1]

Descendants

Margaret's son Henry was the father of Joan I of Navarre who married Philip IV of France in 1284. Joan and Philip were the parents of Louis X of France, Philip V of France, Charles IV of France and Isabella of France. Isabella was the mother of Edward III of England and Joan of the Tower. Louis X was the father of Joan II of Navarre and John I of France, the baby king.

References

1. ^ http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/AQUITAINE%20NOBILITY.htm#Margueritedied1256

Preceded by Constance of Toulouse

Queen consort of Navarre 1232–1253

Succeeded by Isabella of France